olaf otto becker

Pictures of Greenland by Olaf Otto Becker. It was called Greenland to try and attract folk to move there (if I remember my history properly). It doesn't look as though it has worked. Still, some great pictures to admire.

toodle pip

wc fields juggles

Pure Genius

toodle pip

another mad tattoo

Trouble is, I can't decide if this is a genius idea or the guy is a fucking idiot. I think it would be great if it was covered up by hair, but was then exposed in a hospital when they were about to do surgery or something. It would then give everyone a surprise and be brilliant. If however, the guy just kept his head shaved all the time to show it off, I don't like it and he is a fucking idiot.

toodle pip

Russian photographer Sergey Mikhaylovich Prokudin-Gorsky's 100 year old colour photographs

These were all taken 100 years ago, but look really fresh and full of life. Obviously everybody in the photographs are now dead, and that is before thinking about the fact that these were taken before the First World War.

Amazing.

toodle pip

guitar shop front in southampton

This is a shop in Southampton that sells guitar stuff (as if you couldn't guess). What a great idea. It makes me want to travel there and get myself a guitar from them (and then buy an amp, leads, learn how to play it etc etc - maybe I won't bother after all). I love the clever advertising though.

toodle pip

the busby stoop

When I was out and about at work the other day, I had to go to Thirsk to pick someone up. On the way there, I called in at the Busby Stoop, the first time I have ever stopped there, although I have driven past it plenty of times.

It is a famous pub in Ghost hunting circles, as it had a chair in it that was an old customers favourite, and when he died, it resulted in bad luck to anyone who sat on it.

The tale goes that some soldiers from Catterick didn't believe the tale, sat on the chair for a dare, and then crashed their car on the way back to Catterick and died (if true, it probably had nothing to do with the beer they would have drunk while in the pub, I'm sure).

The chair is featured on the pub sign, and people travel to the pub because of the tales, but it is actually not there anymore, and hasn't been for some time. It is now housed in Thirsk museum, which I think is a bit crap, as it should still be in the pub. It could always be put up out of the way, I do think it was attached to the wall at one stage, but it could surely be put in a place that made it impossible for people to sit on it. Don't get me wrong, I think the tale is a load of hookum, but if true, let people sit on it and take their chances. I certainly would, just to disprove the ghostly tale, but I also guess that is why they do not want it in the pub.

Softies.

toodle pip

getting the loop recorder checked

On Tuesday I had to go to The James Cook hospital in Middlesbrough to get my loop recorder checked out (it was fine). Glad to say I was only in the hospital for 32 minutes in total (the parking ticket machine gives out the information). As usual though, it was another crappy August day. Bloody English summers, where's the bleeding sunshine?

toodle pip.

early for the meeting in darlington

I had to go to Darlington this week for a work meeting, but I decided to come in early and have a wander round while listening to my ipod. Arrival time was about 8am and my meeting was at 10am, so it gave me plenty of time to doss about. Good job the weather was OK, or I wouldn't have been so keen.

toodle pip

william arthur (ludgate hill) 1894 - 1940

"When lions were being led by donkeys, I led the donkey"

William Arthur (sometimes known as Ludgate Hill), was a Manchester born poet who died in the blitz. He was a stretcher bearer during the First World War and ended up in Rampton Mental Institution in the 1930's. He was also part of a firing squad (see 'The Coward).

When everyone goes on about 'Help the Heroes' nowadays, I think it's the ordinary people like William Arthur that were conscripted in the past who are the real embodiment of heroes. At least the soldiers today are going off to fight through choice, as nobody forces them to join up now (although I do realise it's often the poorer and less well educated members of society that choose to do so).

Here's some of William Arthur's work.

We Gassed Fritz Today (The Somme 1916)

We dropped mustard gas on Fritz today

The wind blew it back in our faces

Mother of God we murdered our own

Lined up dead in old munition cases

And the Padre he blessed all of the bodies

The General he addressed all of the men

Tomorrow the wind would be turning

And we’ll be gassing the Hun again

Mud There Was (The Somme 1916)

Mud there was and more mud to see

Mud there was for the 22’s and me

Mud there was on July the bloody first

And it’s the mud I remember the worst

Mud there was when the whistle blew

Mud there was when cannon shell flew

Mud there was when little Nobby died

Mud there was when he fell by my side

Mud there was and more mud to see

Mud from the front to the infirmary

Mud there was on July the bloody first

And it’s the mud I remember the worst

The Coward (Etaples base camp 1916)

We Shot Harry for cowardice

But I never met a braver man

But I was on the hill that morning

And I saw that Harry ran

They picked a shooting party

They chose at random by lot

And I was chosen to shoot Harry

For something that he was not

And he refused his last cigarette

And he refused his blindfold too

And we shivered behind our rifles

But we aimed them straight and true

And one of the six had a blank

And a target fixed to Harry’s chest

And each man discharged his rifle

And each man earned one day’s rest

We Shot Harry for cowardice

But I never met a braver man

And I sent home all his possessions

And a letter to his Mam

This article would not have been possible without the research of Mike Duff (and United We Stand)

toodle pip

johnny walker ad with robert carlyle

I bet that script took some remembering. Apparently this was take 40 when they finally nailed it.

toodle pip

national geographic images

Some more great animal pictures. Respect Daddy O.

toodle pip

antichrist, the idiots, and lars von trier

Sky have just had this on 'Anytime TV'. Its a 2009 film by Lars Von Trier that had a lot of controversy when it was first shown. It stars Willem Defoe and Charlotte Gainsbourg, who have their baby fall to it's death while they were having sex. They (but especially Charlotte Gainbourg) are consumed by guilt, and things start going downhill rapidly from there. The film contains some pretty graphic scenes and some great photography, but l felt it was trying too hard to be arty or shocking. That's not to say l didn't like it, because l did, but l would have preferred a better story and less of the shock tactics. As usual, there is plenty of nudity and graphic sex scenes (albeit with body doubles and fake genital parts). No change there then. Charlotte Gainsbourg, however, was excellent, especially when she was being strangled, that just looked so believable. It's about time Lars Von trier got over his depression and concentrated on making a really good film. l do think he seems capable of doing a lot better (l sound like a schoolteacher). His films are so close to being unique and excellent, but also so far away (if that makes any kind of sense). Another one of his films, 'The Idiots' (one of the Dogma '95 films, from 1998) had a crap storyline, and was mainly just shocking for the sake of being shocking (and filming in a different way), but l still liked it, and would rather watch Lars' stuff than a Hollywood blockbuster. Still haven't seen 'Dancing In The Dark' or 'Breaking The Waves' yet, but l'll be waiting to check out his next one as soon as possible (without actually buying it or going to the cinema). At least his films make you think a bit.

toodle pip

sing sing prison

I've been reading about Sing Sing prison in upstate New York (about 30 miles north up the Hudson river). It was opened in 1826 and was extremely brutal, ensuring the prisoners remained silent by copious amounts of beatings and whippings. The prison (Correctional Facility) is still open today, but no-where near as harsh. The cell above is one of the earlier examples, and does not look like it was a lot of fun to live in. The term "Going up the river" meaning to be sent to prison, originated from when prisoners were sent up the river to Sing Sing. The electric chair photograph is of Ruth Snyder, who was executed in the chair in 1928, and the picture was sneaked out by Tom Howard, a newspaper reporter who had a camera strapped to his leg, so he could capture the image at the moment of execution. It all makes Durham prison (where l went) seem pretty boring (although Bronco, who l shared a cell with, was certainly a character).

toodle pip

whispering bob's 40th

At one time l couldn't wait to see The Old Grey Whistle Test with Bob Harris. He featured so much stuff that l love (Sensational Alex Harvey Band, Tim Buckley etc ), even though he did mock The New York Dolls after they had just stormed the place with Jet Boy. It is 40 years today since he started broadcasting, and although l certainly don't share a lot (or even many) of his musical tastes, at least he has a genuine love of the music and knows what he is talking about (New York Dolls excluded). He went bankrupt a few years ago and nearly lost all of his records, but thankfully managed to keep hold of them as they were deemed essential for his job. It's also about time some more Whistle Test DVD's were released, it's been way to long since the last ones. Anyway, we need more DJ's like like him, playing the music they like, rather than a preordained set list from the radio station. As l said before, a lot of the stuff Bob plays l don't really like, but at least l am opened up to new (and old) music that l haven't heard before. Maybe l should start my own station......

What am l saying that for? Everything is out there now on t'internet. Mostly for free if you know where to look. It's much better now for discovering new music, but it has lost it's special appeal, as you don't really have to make any effort to track anything down and then treasure it because it was hard to find. Then again, most people only get a few CD's, and then love them. I am just a saddo.

toodle pip

natural history museum wildlife photos

This is one of this years entries for the Wildlife Photograph Competition by the Natural History Museum (I won't bother with the sponser's name). It's an black oil beetle taken by Juan Jesus Ahumada. Pretty damn good l think, but it will have to go some way to beat the 2005 winning picture (as featured on the 2007 Wilco album Sky Blue Sky) of a peregrine falcon chasing some starlings over Rome (by Manuel Presti). Not as good as my picture of Nozzer though (lovely little boy that he is!).

toodle pip

even more beatles bootlegs

I definitely need to get out more. What a sad bastard l am. Even more Beatles Bootlegs!

toodle pip

more beatles bootlegs

Lots and lots of Beatles Bootlegs

toodle pip

beatles bootlegs

I certainly have a lot of Beatles Bootlegs.

toodle pip

when mowgli was still with us - no room on the settee

mowgli

I loved my cat

Just lying there

With his pointed ears

And his greying hair

He was sometimes ignored

As he was often demanding

And sometimes he stank

While he slept on the landing

When you went to the shops

He’d walk by your side

And while you were shopping

In the bushes he’s hide

He’d been shot with an airgun

And had a hole in his side

That caused trouble weeing

And he very nearly died

His breath, well it smelt

And his walk wasn't straight

When you tried to call him in

Well he'd always be late

You see his hearing it went

And his eyes they got dim

His mind it got muddled

And his body got thin

His nose became dry

And his eyes became glazed

And when he got scared

His hackles got raised

His persistent meows

They kept me awake

He was always after water

Which l'd give and he'd take

And he sometimes had seizures

And often he'd wet

Be distressed when he woke

But calmed down with a pet

And l treated him bad

Which l really regret

And spent a small fortune

On trips to the vet

But He was a mate

For twenty odd years

When l think of him now

l can't hold back the tears

We grew up together

And l got old too

I even miss his breath

That stank of his poo

He was sometimes demanding

And sometimes a pain

But l would give anything

To stroke him again

JD AUG 2010 (with thanxs to James Stewart)

toodle pip

I've loved you too long - submarine - the beatles - shout

I have just finshed all of these late last night and this morning (as I have no work until 9pm).

I've Loved You Too Long (2008) stars Kirstin Scott Thomas as Juliette Fontaine, who is released from prison after serving 15 years for murdering her 6 year old son. Her sister Lea knows little about it, but lets her stay with her family, although her husband Luc is wary in case any harm comes to their adopted daughters. The film follows Juliette as she tries to rebuild her life, but has a brooding and menacing feel about it, so you are never sure how it will conclude. Juliette does however, confess to her sister that she only killed her son because he had a terminal disease, so she did it out of love, but still felt guilty and wanted to be punished for it, which is why she never defended herself in court or gave any reason for the murder. As usual with a lot of these type of French films, it is slow but superbly done, with great tension and acting.

Submarine is a book by Joe Dunthorne from 2008, about a 15 year old boy called Oliver Tate, who is trying to save his parents marriage. It is an instant classic, strange, intelligent and funny, and is bound to be read by lots of teenagers in the future. I preferred it to Catcher In The Rye, and I think Oliver Tate is a great new creation.

The Beatles - Shout (1996 by Philip Norman), I have read before, but it is worth re-reading every few years (if you are a sad git like me), as it is the best biography of The Beatles out there. Nothing more to say really, apart from this is the reprinted version with some extra bits in it, and Norman does admit he was a bit too harsh in the earlier versions of the book. I do think he is still too harsh and opinionated about some other things (such as Stella McCartney's clothes range), which usually l would be all for, but l think he just comes across as a bit spiteful sometimes. Never mind, it's still great.

Right, back to the coalface (kettle and TV) to make the most of my time off.

toodle pip